The relationship between BMI, leptin, leptin receptors (LepR) and Foxp3+ Tregs cells in women with asthma

Abstract

The aim of this study was evaluation whether there is an association between BMI, leptin and its soluble receptor, the expression of FoxP3 in CD4+ pTreg in women with severe asthma. Materials and methods. The study included thirty women with asthma: 17 patients with severe and 13 with mild-moderate disease. The control group comprised of 25 healthy women. Asthma was diagnosed in accordance with the Global Initiative For Asthma guidelines (GINA 2014). The phenotype of CD4+CD25highCD127lowFoxp3+CD152+ cells was evaluated by multicolor flow cytometry. The concentration of leptin and its soluble receptor were determined using an immunoenzymatic method (ELISA). Results. It has been shown significantly increased leptin concentration in the group of women with severe asthma compared with mild-moderate asthma and control group (p <0.05). The concentration of the leptin receptor significantly increased (p <0.05) in women with severe asthma compared with control group. There were no differences in percentage of CD4+FoxP3+ and CD4+CD25highCD127low- FoxP3+CD152+ subsets after leptin stimulation in all tested groups. Conclusions. Our results don’t confirm the direct effect of leptin on the CD4+ pTreg cells and the expression of FoxP3 in these cells, in tested groups.